This invention relates generally to the art of electrical connectors and more particularly to an intercell electrical connector for conducting electric current between adjacent electrolytic cells and connection of the cells to a source of electrical power.
Electrolytic cells, such as cells used in the production of chlorine and caustic by the electrolysis of brine are commonly used in a commercial production facility as a multitude of individual cells connected in series thereby utilizing one power source to operate a number of such cells. Thus, an anode of one cell is connected to a cathode of an adjacent cell through an intercell bus bar connector until a row or bank of cells is built, all of which are electrically connected in series to a single power source.
Intercell bus bar connectors have previously been in the form of heavy copper bars of large cross-sectional area in order to minimize voltage losses across the connectors. In addition to utilizing large amounts of expensive copper, the operating temperature of the cells caused thermal expansion of the bars to a point where they could and did force the displacement of cell components due to the inflexibility of the bars.
Flexible connectors of several types have been developed. One type utilizes a flexible web of woven copper wire as a connector. While this solves the problem of inflexibility, the webs are complex in structure and must still utilize large amounts of copper for a given current load which contribute to increased expense for the connectors.
Another type of intercell connector is described in Emery et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,783, in which an angled connector comprised a plurality of parallel, spaced sheets or cast leaves of conductive material provides the needed flexibility of connection. This structure, however, is no less complex in form than the web design and utilizes large amounts of copper, thus adding to both the weight and the expense of intercell connectors.
With any of the prior intercell electrical connectors, alignment of attachment points for the connector was somewhat critical. This increased the amount of labor necessary in both original installation and maintenance and repair of a cell bank.
Operating brine temperatures in electrolytic cells are commonly in the range of 190.degree.-220.degree. F. while the electrical connectors are at a higher temperature, generally about 230.degree.-250.degree. F. At these operating temperatures, there is a considerable amount of oxidation on copper surfaces of electrical intercell connectors exposed to the corrosive atmosphere surrounding an electrolytic cell. Such corrosion leads to heat build-up and increased resistance resulting in substantial power losses. Furthermore, corroded connectors present a maintenance problem due to increased necessity for replacement. A substantial reduction in the temperature of the connectors would significantly reduce both replacement costs and power loss.
Finally, the resistance heating of the current-carrying intercell connectors has long been a problem due to loss in conductivity as the temperature of the connector rose. While the effect may be only slight with respect to an individual connector, the multiplication factor over many interconnected cells makes this effect quite significant resulting in substantial power loss.